Recollections of an Enigma
by Wesley Helsing
Summary: P3 FES story with OC as MC. Mitsuru X OC-Protagonist. Wesley experiences social link events with Fuuka and an OC, Ririko Kaoru. He also tries out for track team... Please rate and review!
1. The Arrival and Hallucinations?

_The slender, almost wiry teen let out a small sigh. The monorail appeared to be having track problems, and the operator stuttered a slight apology over the intercom about the delay. As the train soon regained stability and sped along on the cool spring night, the boy tugged at the snowy collar of his uniform. As a blue butterfly in the moonlight came slowly into focus, despite for only a second's length of time, the boy let out an almost silent whimper and moved a hand to his chest. He had felt an acute stabbing sensation that had pierced his heart the second he laid eyes on the sleeping city and the haze like insect. The sensation soon dissipated, and the boy shrugged it off, figuring it to be nerves, nothing more. After all, he was transferring to a new school in a new city. If only he had known the true cause of that pain and the trials that were to follow… perhaps he would have just stayed put on that train, and the abysmal outcome of this event could have been avoided…_

As I disembarked the monorail, an announcement on the station's PA stated my destination was Iwatodai Station. It also added in a cool tone that the last train bound for Tatsumi Port Island was now boarding and would soon depart. I made my way over to a vacant seat near the ticket machines and sat down for a second, letting out a small sigh. I then set my duffel bag next to me, it's camouflage material worn with age and use. Ever since I was a boy, I had moved around quite a bit, shifting from family friend to distant relative. It was strenuous, and I was always asked a large amount of stupid questions every time I entered a new school. I would simply put on my headphones and ignore the askers. I didn't feel like sharing answers to personal things like that with them. Don't get me wrong… it's not that I'm timid… it's just… I prefer keeping to myself most of the time. Despite that, I usually attempt to show a friendly exterior, seeing as that's what grandfather told me to do. I had only packed the essentials, seeing as most of my stuff was staying at the mansion I had inherited from my Grandparents in Germany. It was a funny thing… they were both in peak health, but… one stormy night, I thought I heard a distant scream in my sleep… the next morning, both of my dear grandparents were unresponsive, a blank and bleak look on their faces. They were rushed to the hospital, but they soon passed from this world after that, leaving me alone, with only money to comfort me. It's true what they say… money can buy a lot of things, but happiness isn't one of them.

Shaking my head to clear it of these petty thoughts, I reached into a side pocket of the duffel bag, taking out a beige envelope that had the symbol of my new school emblazoned on it. I pulled out a small map that showed directions to a dorm where I would be residing. The map stated that it was a privately owned coed dorm. At first, I was slightly apprehensive about this, coed can only lead to unfortunate tensions or situations. However, being a diligent and obedient boy like my grandmother wanted, I accepted these terms as what was my fate. I would simply be on my best behavior and attempt to keep to myself, like usual. I pulled my red thirty gigabyte zune out of my pocket, and checked the display. The clock stated it was about two minutes to midnight, so I grabbed my luggage while beginning to ascend the escalator to the ground floor. Humming along quietly to "I heard it through the grapevine", a favorite of Grandfather's, I made my way to the entrance of the station.

No later than when I had cleared the escalator and ticket booths, a sudden blackout occurred. I glanced around, slightly confused; even my zune had stopped working in mid chorus. All was quiet, and I decided to step outside to take a look around. A small gasp left my mouth as I gazed to the sky, which took on an eerie emerald tone with a bright sulfur colored moon majestically presiding over this mysterious area. Small clouds of olive smog blew around the ground, as it appeared I was the only one around. I made way down the block and then laid eyes on the most shocking sight yet. Many crystalline objects resembling coffins littered the street, all casting dark and foreboding shadows in the moonlight. Pulling my mute headphones off and leaving them dangling by my neck, I placed my zune back into my blazer's pocket, along with the blue leather neck strap for the device. I took another look around, I thought I was dreaming. Something like this… couldn't be _real_. I took a few more steps along the crosswalk as a wet slap emanated from under my engineer boots. I slowly glanced down, my mouth opening slightly as I had stepped into a large pool of what seemed like _blood_. Glancing around again, I saw pools like this littered all over the ground. Taking a deep breath, I decided to hustle to the dorm, I saw it just a few buildings down.

Grabbing the ornate handle, I opened the door with a slight creak coming from the hinges. I stepped inside, shutting and locking the door behind me, since it was so late at night. Letting out a sigh, I shook my head; I must have just been tired which would perhaps cause me to hallucinate. As I pondered the state of my mind, a voice coming from my right snapped my attention back to a reception desk near the door. "You're late… I've been waiting quite some time for you… you really shouldn't dawdle so much… it would put you behind schedule if you aren't careful." A small boy in what looked like a stripped prison uniform scolded me while wagging his index finger. I stared at him for a second as he peered back at me. He sat cross-legged on the counter, a soul-less look in his pale azure eyes. He braced his elbows on his knees as he seemed to be appraising me, a creepy smile growing on his face. He then reached behind him, pulling up a red folder and set it beside him, placing a quill on top of it. Jumping down from the counter, he pointed to it. "If you wish to continue, please sign your name on the dotted line. Don't worry, all it says is that you'll accept full responsibility for your actions… y'know, the _usual_ stuff." He smiled again and stepped aside.

I made my way over to the counter, and picked up the contract, attempting to scan it before simply signing it like a fool. Most of it seemed straightforward, until one clause came to my attention. _"I chooseth this fate of mine own free will and will abide by whatever end it may bring."_ I attempted to rack my brain to make sense of this, but I couldn't draw a conclusion, which was odd, for someone as academically gifted as myself. Shrugging, I signed the contract and handed it to the boy, who then opened the folder and looked over it.

"I, Wesley Helsing, accept full responsibility for the choices I make, the fate I have been bestowed, and the consequences that arise…." He read my name with the clause where the dotted line was located. He then glanced up at me, gifting me with another chilling smile. He then uttered a small phrase I was barely able to catch. "Time waits for no man, it delivers all equally to the same end. You can't plug your ears or cover your eyes from this truth." He then stepped back into the shadows of the room as he turned the red folder which suddenly vanished. "And so… it begins." He chuckled as he was enveloped by the shadows as well, and I was alone in the lounge.

I pondered the boy, wondering if he was another hallucination caused by nerves or fatigue, but before I could give it much thought, a strong shout startled me.

"Who's there?!" a female voice called from somewhere in the room.

I glanced around, attempting to find the source as my eyes fell onto a teen girl. Her hair was chestnut brown, she wore a pink knit cardigan and a small skirt, along with stockings and brown loafers. Her hazel eyes glared at me from under her slim eyebrows as she frowned and reached her right hand to her side. I broke my gaze for a second to follow her hand, and noticed a _gun_ strapped to her thigh, her hand twitching near the stock. My mind began racing to come up with something to say, but my mouth seemed to malfunction, as I stood there, watching her, wondering if she would dare pull out the lethal tool.

She made a sudden movement, starting to pull out the gun, as I winced, expecting to be shot with no reason. However, another voice told the girl to halt in a harsh, commanding tone. The girl obeyed as she looked over her shoulder.

I looked to that direction as well. Another girl stepped out, her dark crimson hair cascading down the back of her blouse as her knee high boots thumped softly on the thin carpet. She also had a gun; however hers was on a belt around her ebony skirt. She glanced at me for a while, a grim frown on her face as she just seemed to wait. A few minutes passed, the brunette looking between the taller red head and myself, a bit of distance away. Suddenly, the power turned back on, as my zune picked up where it had left off.

The older girl let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "Good." She simply said and walked over to me, the brunette following like an obedient dog. "I didn't think you'd arrive so late. You must be our new dorm mate." She said in a slightly warmer, but still oddly formal tone.

"Correct. As of today, I'll be residing here during the school year." I said, showing her the flyer, still keeping my guard up, after all, I was at the mercy of two armed and possibly dangerous women.

"I see. We're sorry to have startled you… these guns… they're for self defense. You know how it is these days." She chuckled, while I didn't think it was too funny. "I'm Mitsuru Kirijo, a senior at your new school. It's a pleasure to meet you." She said extending a hand which I shook. I had to admit, she was stunning. She had a dignified air and an elegance I could hardly describe. She then turned to the brunette behind her. "This is Yukari Takeba, she'll be a junior this year, like you. I hope you two get along." She said, glancing at Yukari.

"Oh… hey, nice to meet you, Wesley-kun." Yukari said, bowing slightly. She seemed to be still shaken up.

I nodded in response and then turned back to Mitsuru. My Japanese was foggy, I was mostly used to German so I had forgotten all about honorifics. "Frauline Kirijo… may I ask… where is my room?" I had said before I realized my mistake of talking in my most common tongue. However, Mitsuru chuckled, she apparently had understood me. "It is upstairs." She smiled, then turned to Yukari and stared at her for a second.

Yukari sighed. "Fine… I'll show you the way, come with me." She said turning on her heel and walking to the stairway. I picked up my bag and followed her, passing Mitsuru and ascending the stairs, my legs felt like lead and my eyelids were heavy. We soon came to a doorway at the end of the hall.

"This is your room, room twenty one. Pretty easy to remember, since you're at the end of the second floor hallway, huh? Just don't ever lose your key, or you'll never hear the end of it." she smiled, seemingly a bit more comfortable around me. She then glanced at the ground, a somber expression on her face. "Hey… on your way back from the station… was everything ok?" she asked, looking at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked her. Is it possible that what I had experienced was not a hallucination? I shivered inwardly at the thought.

"Um… never mind. Listen, I know you probably have tons of questions, but how about we wait till tomorrow, ok?" she asked attempting to treat me to a friendly smile. She then coughed slightly and muttered good night before walking to the stairway and traveling to the third floor.

Sighing to myself, I opened the door, slinging my bag to the side and collapsed onto the soft bed, I would unpack tomorrow after school. I felt exhausted, and soon drifted off to a deep sleep.


	2. Velvet Room Blues and Shrine Resident

**A/N- I forgot this last time, I don't own Persona. It's an impressive series, so I'll leave it to the pros. Oh, and thanks to JJ Empire for the compliment. Also, a thanks to Awesome Rapidash for the great review, hopefully this chapter will be better! Thanks for being diligent readers guys!**

_**Chapter 2 – Blues in the Velvet Room / Resident of Naganaki Shrine**_

Seemingly just after I had fallen onto my soft bed, I suddenly felt a sensation like speeding down the highway with the windows down. I suddenly saw a dot on the horizon that soon became an indigo door. I thought for a second I would crash into it, but instead the door swung open, and everything was enveloped in a bright light. When I regained my eyesight, I found myself sitting in an elegant chair, in a well decorated room. An antique record player sat nearby, playing out a sad, but calming song as a female vocalist enunciated many tones with her voice. I looked around, seeing a large clock-like object spinning as lights flashed behind a giant ornate gate. The room somehow reminded me of a large antique elevator, save for its massive size and the music wasn't corny oldies.

"Welcome… to the velvet room, my dear young man." A chilly voice greeted me, as my eyes fell on a small man. He sat on a luxurious seat and stared at me, his hands crossed with a peculiar smile under his long hooked nose. To his side, stood a woman in an odd uniform; she was totally silent, but did not take her gaze off of me. She had entrancing topaz eyes and what seemed almost silver hair. The man coughed, speaking up again. "My name is Igor… it is delightful to make your acquaintance." He smiled, clasping his gloved hands together. He had a smart looking suit on, and his pointed ears twitched slightly as he turned his head to the woman. "This… is my assistant, Elizabeth. She, like myself, is a resident of this realm, located between mind and matter, dream and reality." He said in a cryptic voice.

"Nice to meet you both…" I tried to sound polite, despite my confusion. Igor smiled almost evilly while Elizabeth curtly nodded; not taking her gaze off me, as if intrigued. This situation caused me to slightly shift in the chair. "You said this was between dream and reality, so am I correct in assuming this is a dream?" I asked Igor, who nodded.

"Precisely, you are asleep in the real world as we speak. I thought it would be best to summon you hear for the sake of introductions." He smiled again, while pulling up the red folder I had seen the child pull out back at the dorm's lobby. "Only those who sign the contract can enter this realm. I'll expect you to honor your commitment, and as such, I shall grant you my help in time. Of course, before that you must awaken to your true role." He said, tapping the folder on the table before it disappeared again. He then scratched the side of his cheek with a skeletal finger, before reaching into the pocket of his waistcoat and pulling out a small indigo key. "Please, take this, as it would be preferable if you come of your own accord next time. Time moves on, my dear boy, and you must move with it. Next time I will supply you with more information and the true use of this place. Until then, be well." Igor said, tossing the key to me, which I caught before the room began to dissolve into darkness.

Suddenly, I found myself staring at the ceiling of my room, the rising sun tossing a few stray beams through the window to greet me on this new day. Getting up, I made my bed and took care of the morning hygiene. Taking a quick peek at the clock on my desk, I saw it was about 8:30AM and was about to head out before I stopped cold, noticing a small blue key on my desk. I felt it was familiar somehow, but I shook my head and proceeded out the door, locking it behind me. I proceeded down the stairway and soon arrived at the ground floor. I made my way to the dining room and saw Yukari, Mitsuru, and a boy with grey hair, a smart red sweater vest, leather gloves, and his jacket slung on the seat behind him. They were all sitting at a long table with a custard tablecloth in a plaid pattern, with Mitsuru and the boy on one side, while Yukari had an empty seat next to her that I decided to take.

The grey haired boy stared at me for a small amount of time before extending a gloved hand across the table. "Akihiko. Akihiko Sanada. How ya' doin?" he asked in a gruff but friendly voice.

"Wesley. Wesley Helsing, and I'm decent, thanks." I responded, giving him a firm handshake.

Yukari had taken out her cell phone and was texting on it while pouring a bit of sugar on her slice of grapefruit. "Hm. So today the team's meeting at the theater. The coach must want to make us watch another one of her 'inspiring movie picks'…" Yukari sighed with a small grimace on her face but then put away her cell phone after sending a response.

"Team? What sport team are you in, Yukari-san?" I asked, seeing as I was fairly interested in sports.

"Oh, well I'm on the archery team, Wesley-kun. Although it's a lot of fun, the coach sometimes takes us to these silly movies to try to boost the team's morale… It's a good idea, but her taste in movies is absolutely horrible. I mean, Robin Hood, Men in Tights… really?" she asked rhetorically while shaking her head. She then squeezed juice from the grapefruit into a glass before sipping on it while in thought.

"Believe it or not, Helsing, I'm the captain of our school's boxing team. I usually get a good average in the physicals. If you want, you can swing by practice some time, I'd love to have a sparring partner who's somewhat competent." Akihiko chuckled before getting up, grabbing his coat and slinging it over his shoulder. "Well, I'm gonna head out. Got stuff to do, places to be. Nice to meet ya, Wesley-kun." He smiled and patted my shoulder before walking past the lounge and reception counter, then out the ornate doors.

I grabbed a few slices of toast from the center of the table. I had been so absorbed in conversation, I hadn't noticed the small buffet laid out in the center. This dorm seemed to improve every minute. I leaned back in my chair, spreading apricot marmalade on my wheat toast, a sigh escaping me.

Mitsuru then spoke up. "Well, Helsing… if you're interested in sports, you should know that some teams are going to be having tryouts in a few weeks. Perhaps after school you can stop by the gym and see if there's a team that piques your interest." She glanced at me with a small smirk.

"Hm… I suppose that couldn't hurt." I nodded, devouring my toast and then helping myself to a bowl of cereal.

Yukari then pulled out her cell phone again, texting another message before getting up and adjusting her pink cardigan. "Well, I'm off to the theatre, see you later." She smiled and also left the dorm, leaving Mitsuru and I alone at the table, finishing our meals in silence.

Mitsuru picked up a newspaper and began to browse; I noticed that she flipped to the stock section almost instantly, leaving the technology one to the side, which I picked up. I browsed a few articles, noting some games on sale and a few Q+As about some popular laptop models. I then set the paper down and picked up my dishes, looking for a place to set them. However, as I stood up, Mitsuru made a coughing noise. I looked at her curiously.

"Leave them on the table. The dorm has a full house-cleaning staff." She muttered as she then turned to the editorial page. I shrugged and did as she said. A full cleaning staff? How awesome was that?!

Making sure my possessions were unpacked in my room, I then noticed I had a bit of time left on the Sunday afternoon. I decided to take a quick stroll around town to familiarize myself with the area. I slipped on a coat, despite it being April, as showers could start any minute. I then re-locked my room before proceeding out of the dorm and walking down the worn sidewalk. A few blocks down, I came upon an impressive shrine. I slowly ascended the chipped concrete steps, glancing around the property. A small playground was to the side, but the shrine appeared deserted. "Guess I must have missed the sermon…" I chuckled before stepping up to a battered offertory box. I picked a few spare coins from my pocket, tossing them in with a small grin on my face. I paused for a second, and then wished to do well during the school year.

I waited for a minute, then turned around preparing to leave. However, as I did so, I noticed a white dog sitting not too far away under the shade of a tall tree staring right at me with red eyes. After about a minute of us staring at each other, the dog made its way over, its tail wagging. It sat down in front of me, dropping a ball from its mouth, and nudged it towards me with its nose. I shrugged slightly, then picked up the ball and tossed it to the side, slightly surprised as the dog bolted after it, barking happily. It quickly brought back the ball, so I picked it up and gave it another toss. The dog repeated catching and returning the ball. I played with it for a few hours before it started to darken.

I scratched the dog behind the ears once, then began walking away. The dog let out a bark and then dashed into an alleyway behind the shrine. I figured it had to be going home as well. However, my stomach let out a small growl, so I made a detour into the nearby strip mall and ascended the metal spiral staircase, stopping at the Ramen Shop for a quick bite of dinner. I got plain at first, figuring I wasn't too picky, and was surprised how good the ramen was. After finishing two bowls of the soup, I decided to stop by a sweet shop on my way across to the down staircase and picked up a few morsels for the walk back. Along the way, I saw Yukari walking on the opposite side of the street with a few other girls who I assumed to be her teammates. She then walked across the crosswalk, arriving at the door the same time I did.

"Oh, hey. Busy day?" she asked, giving me a friendly smile. I nodded, then opened the door, preparing to go in, however, she stepped in before me. "Holding the door open huh? Well aren't you a gentleman." She chuckled while I stood there, slightly confused, but shrugged and followed her inside.

Mitsuru was relaxing in an arm chair while watching the news. She also had a small book in one hand that was labeled something in what I thought was French. She looked over at me then nodded. "School starts tomorrow, so be sure to get up on time." She said and then turned off the TV, returning to her book.

Akihiko in the meantime was sitting on the couch, sewing his boxing gloves. He smiled and asked me in a sly tone, "So… where've you been?" I then proceeded to explain about my activities at the shrine, and he seemed interested that a dog was there. Apparently, the priest who ran the shrine was killed about two months ago. "That dog's probably just staying there because it thinks the shrine is still its home. I guess there's no harm in playing with it on the weekends if you want." He shrugged, going back to his gloves.

I walked over to the couch opposite of Akihiko and sat down on it, pulling out a red Game Boy Pocket. I fired up my favorite game, Tetris, and proceeded to test my skills against the formidable space blocks. Yukari sat in the other arm chair, texting on her cell phone. We all chatted while doing these odd activities, and soon it was time to head to bed. I got up, preparing to head to the stairway, while Akihiko got up at the same time. He walked with me up the stairs after we said good night to the girls.

"So… how do you like the dorm so far?" he asked, as we arrived at the second floor. He stopped by the vending machine to pick up a Mad Bull. "I'm gonna need this tomorrow before practice… I know caffeine is bad for you, but man, it sure helps your focus." He laughed.

I chuckled along with him. "Well, it's pretty cool. I like the breakfast buffet, which sure is a nice feature. Those furniture items sure are comfortable too. So far, I'd say it's about four out of five." I shrugged, picking up a drink as well.

"Four out of five…? What's missing?" he asked, as we walked down the hallway to the doors to our rooms.

"Well, I don't know how the commute to school will be, if it's great, then I'll give it a five out of five, provided it has good TV and internet signals." I laughed as he stood in front of the door opposite mine.

"Alright then. Good night Helsing, see you tomorrow after school. I have to get up early for practice, so have a good day." Akihiko said, stepping into his room and closing the door.

I nodded silently before opening the door to my room as well. So far, things seemed to be going well. Perhaps moving here would be a far greater experience than I had expected. I could hardly wait to see what the school was like, which sure made sleeping hard. However, I soon closed my eyes and drifted off to a sleep once again, where I dreamed about being the top student in the class and having a great year of successful endeavors.


	3. Gekkoukan High School

**A/N – Hey guys! I figured I'd get this chapter up quickly. I know you're all dying to see the first day of class, so here you go! Persona will never be mine, of course. Shin Megami Tensei is doing a great job as is! Enjoy~**

_**Chapter 3 – Gekkoukan High School**_

The alarm clock began ringing loudly, as I turned in bed to turn it off. The sun was barely rising, and I already felt refreshed and full of energy. I decided to get up, taking a quick shower in the bathroom on the fourth floor. I also proceeded back to my room to check my school uniform. It consisted of a navy blazer with the school's symbol near my left chest pocket. I wore a snowy white button shirt underneath, with a small tie in a professional knot around my collar, and a simple grey belt. I also put on a pair of navy slacks, black socks and my blue engineer boots. Since I had to commute, I decided to pack my zune in a pocket before slipping the headphones under my lapels. I then stood in front of my mirror, checking my hair and making sure the blue locks sat in a cool and secretive look. While I was examining my person, a knock came on the door to my room. I turned my head slightly curious before I heard a voice.

"Hey, it's Yukari. Are you awake?" she asked from the other side of the door. I decided to walk over and open it, letting her into my room. She looked at me with a smile and then chirped, "Good morning! Did you sleep ok?"

I nodded slightly, making sure to grab my briefcase for school, since it had my notebooks and supplies in the worn tan leather pockets. While I gathered my things, she coughed slightly. I turned around, eyeing her curiously while checking my satchel's contents.

"Mitsuru-senpai asked me to take you to school. It's starting to get late so…" she began, tapping a foot while fingering one of her brunette bangs.

"Fine. Lead on then." I simply sighed, following her out of my room, stopping to lock the door, and then we proceeded to exit the dorm. We then made way for the train station before boarding a train headed for Tatsumi Port Island. The train quickly sped along its tracks while I conversed with Yukari a bit on the train.

She then pointed out the window. "That's it. See, there it is. Gekkoukan High School." She said as a impressive collection of buildings came into view. We soon disembarked the train and began walking down the stone path to the school, seeing other students also heading in for the new day. A few said good morning, to which Yukari promptly responded. I kept my silence, seeing as I was somewhat nervous. She then stopped in front of the central building with a large clock on it. "We're here… hope you like it~" she chirped again, before we proceeded inside.

In the lobby, I noticed a few students placing their belongings in the cubby-holes and a few small lockers. Yukari then turned to me, the friendly smile gone. "You're ok from here, right? You should go see your homeroom teacher first. The faculty office is over there to the left." She stated simply. Apparently at school, she must have been one of the more popular students, seeing as she seemed to be a bit distant now…

"Right." I responded, making a mental note of the change in her personality and behavior. If I wanted to talk to her, I'd better save it for at the dorm. After all, I wouldn't want to appear to be a loser who just tries to hit on the popular girls, right? I then decided to make my way to the faculty office, and entered, looking around a bit.

As I observed the room, a female brunette teacher, probably in her late twenties or early thirties came over to me, a puzzled look on her face. "Yes, can I help you?" she asked, holding a set of books to the right side of her shockingly pink suit.

I admit to being slightly set back. "W-well, I'm the new exchange student… from Germany." I muttered, still attempting to register the bizarre manner of this teacher.

"Ah… Wesley Helsing, grade 11. I'm Ms. Toriumi, I teach Composition. Ok, so you're in 2 – F, my class. Let's see, about ten years ago, your parents…" she started before gasping and clapping a hand to her mouth. She then looked at me apologetically. "I'm sorry… I haven't had the time to read this beforehand." She said, grimacing.

I did my best to smile and act friendly. "Please, pay it no mind." I said, waving a hand casually.

"Right… still, I apologize. Now, we should get going to the Welcoming Ceremony in the Auditorium. After that, we'll start with your teachers introducing themselves." She said, leading me to the gym building.

I took a seat with a few other classmates, and before the squat principle even got his rusty voice started on the speech, I felt a tap on my back. I turned my head slightly, attempting to see who it was. It was a boy I didn't know, but he leaned in close. "Hey, you came to school with Yukari this morning right? Well, I was wondering, do you know if she has a boyfriend?" he asked curiously.

I shook my head. "I don't think so, but I'm not really sure… I'm an exchange student, so I just moved here, sorry." I said, being as honest as possible.

The boy raised an eyebrow. "Oh, well thanks anyway, sorry to bother you then. I just thought perhaps you'd know." He said, leaning back. As he did, a teacher made a comment about hearing somebody in our class talking, however I also noticed several other students talking during the principal's speech.

After the speech was over, I proceeded to my classroom, where I picked a seat near the center, not too far forward, and not too far back. The teachers all came in, introducing themselves, and we got a few syllabi for the upcoming semester. Class was then let out early that day, so I began to gather my things and rose from my desk, however, when I turned to leave, I was stopped short by a boy.

He was slightly taller than me, and had a roguish look about him. He wore a baseball cap over buzzed hair, he also had an untidy blue button shirt underneath his blazer, which I noticed was very loosely tossed on. He had a small bit of facial hair, and grinned at me. "Sup, dude?" he asked in a casual voice.

"Uh, hi. How's it going?" I asked, trying to be friendly. I didn't know who this was, but perhaps he isn't as bad as his sluggish appearance seemed.

The boy then smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "Wow… you're much friendlier than I would have guessed. I'm Junpei. Junpei Iori, I was a transfer student in 8th grade, so I know how it is to be the new guy. I just saw you here and thought I'd say hey. See what a nice guy I am?" he asked with a goofy grin.

I chuckled slightly. "Well, it's nice to meet you Junpei. Good thing to know at least the jocks around here are friendly."

Junpei stared at me for a second, then laughed, rubbing the back of his head again. "Whoa… sorry dude, I'm no sports freak… there's only one team I play on, and that's the Couch Potatoes. If you want to know jocks, just look up Kazushi over there." He said pointing to a boy wearing a warm up suit instead of his school uniform. "Still though, it's your first day here, and you stroll in with Yuka-tan like it's nothing… you got guts, man. People are already talkin' aboutcha." He sighed.

"Oh… well, you see, Yukari-san lives in my dorm, so we just walked to school together this morning, I can assure you there's nothing between us." I said, waving a hand casually again.

Junpei raised an eyebrow. "Well, if you say so, but I still think walking in with one of the most popular girls at school is gonna start a lot of trouble for you. What's your name anyway?" he asked, adjusting his cap slightly.

I flinched, I'd forgotten to respond with my name when he said his. "Terribly sorry… my name is Wesley, Wesley Helsing." I smiled slightly, feeling rather foolish.

"Wow… that's different. Your parents must be … proud." Junpei stated, but I could see he was trying to stifle a laugh.

I sighed, then picked up my things and prepared to walk out. I didn't like it when people mentioned my parents, after the incident had happened, I'd rather just forget about them. It wasn't that I didn't miss them, it's just I couldn't allow my mind to be taxed by reminiscing about the past. I slung my bag's strap across my shoulder, the bag hanging at my side. I then started walking to the door, before Junpei stopped me.

"Hey man, I was just messin' with ya, how about we walk home together? I'd like to chat a bit more…" Junpei asked sounding hopeful.

At that moment, Yukari slid open the door, stepping in, looking surprised to see me standing there about to say something to Junpei. "Honestly, you'll talk to anyone if they'll listen, huh Junpei?" she asked shaking her head.

Junpei looked confused. "Wha? Hey, I was just bein' friendly. How about you keep the cold shoulder routine for you and your elitist pals, eh Yuka-tan?" he shrugged while chuckling.

While Yukari began attempting to counter with a sly remark, I slipped out of the classroom leaving the two to bicker, and proceeded downstairs, walking next to the Faculty Office to check the bulletin board for the first midterms. During my research of upcoming dates, I saw the scores of the entrance exams posted. I had to take them back home in Germany, but they had posted my score anyway. I ranked top out of all the students in the Junior class, gaining a perfect 100. I looked at the floor and rubbed the back of my head a bit, it was slightly embarrassing.

"You shouldn't be embarrassed, it is a good thing to succeed at school. Academics are quite important, you know." A voice said to me suddenly, as my gaze snapped to a red headed girl beside me. It was Mitsuru, she had suddenly appeared without me noticing.

She turned to look at me and smile. "I think with a score like yours, this year should be promising for the school's grade average. I can see you have a lot of potential… I wonder what will be in your future, Helsing." She smiled and closed her eyes, as if thinking. She then glanced at me curiously. "Believe it or not, I have a free afternoon. I know you're new here so…" she started to say, then paused and looked to the side, as if deciding whether or not to ask something.

She then shook her head. "So I think you should probably go find somebody to show you around. I'm going to go study in the library, good day." She stated succinctly before turning on her heel and marching into the library, leaving me somewhat confused.

I could have sworn a cool breeze blew by me, causing a slight shiver as I sighed and then turned to walk back to the large locker area at the front. I placed the books I wouldn't need in my locker, before walking outside and entering the bright spring sunlight, with the cherry trees in bloom nearby. I proceeded to walk to the train station, grabbing a ticket for a train headed to Iwatodai and then sat down on the train, sighing as the train sped along its tracks to take me back to the dorm.

I was about to put on my headphones when I noticed a few girls giving another a hard time. This one girl cringed slightly and had a sullen and confused look on her pale face, her grey eyes staring at the ground while a tanned girl with brunette hair kept calling her names. "Jeez Fuuka, you're such an idiot! I thought you said you'd help us study for that test… you know studying means give us your answers! We don't want to go to no library and study for real!" one said while tugging at 'Fuuka's' pale green hair. Fuuka said nothing, muttering under her breath, perhaps an apology.

I stood up and walked over, a small smile on my face as I addressed the leader of the offensive group. "Hello there… are you ladies aware that there is currently a sale at Paulownia mall? Designer tees and skirts are buy one get one free for 50% of the bought one? However, you should hurry to get there before the sale ends~" I chirped, deciding to see their reaction.

A few looked at the leader, who suddenly lit up. "Yeah… I think I'll go shopping. We'll deal with you later, useless idiot." She said while her and her companions got off of the train.

Fuuka stared after them as the train doors shut and the train began to speed up again. She then looked up at me, seemingly grateful and confused at the same time. "Th-thank you…" she muttered, letting out a sigh.

I sat down next to her, a puzzled look on my face. "Oh, no problem. Just curious, but why are you helping those girls when they're being so nasty to you?" I asked her while tilting my head slightly.

She attempted to chuckle, but it was more of a sad huff. "W-well, I figure if I help them out enough, they could be my friends. I notice that they are abrasive sometimes, and their words are sharp, but I figure that they're technically helping me toughen up. I'm sure it will work with time… and besides, I'm used to the abuse… it's kinda funny in a way, since I sometimes can be so gullible for their jokes." She attempted to smile.

"I see…" I completely lied, this girl had just baffled me. Why would she willingly subject herself to ridicule to try to befriend somebody who obviously wouldn't ever be caught with her in public? I still smiled back and nodded. "Well, I suppose all I can do is wish you best of luck then. You must be very strong of character, to be able to withstand these trials. Good for you."

She nodded back, a small smile still on her face. "Regardless, it was getting a bit tiring, so thanks for helping get rid of them for now… I was almost at my limit for today. I didn't expect them to follow me on the train. By the way, my name's Fuuka. Fuuka Yamagishi." She said bowing slightly as she stood up when the train reached a stop a few kilometers from Iwatodai.

"I'm Wesley. Wesley Helsing. Guess I'll see you around. Good luck with your intention to befriend those girls." I smiled and nodded back slightly as she then smiled before walking out of the doors and into the crowded station.

As the train once again began speeding along to my destination, I smiled. Today, I had certainly met two interesting individuals, and I had a feeling that I would soon be seeing more of them for some reason…

_**A/N – And that's a wrap! Well, it seems that so far school is going well for Wesley, however, when he gets back to the dorm, a few surprises may be waiting for him. Thanks for reading and please review if you have time!**_


	4. Night of Discovery

**A/N - Hey all, sorry for the delay, school's been tough lately, and I have finals coming up soon. However, I know you all are itching to see what comes next. So, aside from mentioning that Persona and its characters belong to Shin Megami Tensei, here's the next installment of P3- RAE.**

**Recollections of An Enigma - Chapter 4 - Night of Discovery**

Slowing to a stop, the train lumbered into the crowded Iwatodai station. The sun was setting, and I decided to swing by the Beef Bowl to grab a bite to eat before heading home. Inside the restaurant, I saw a few kids from school, and went over to sit with a schoolmate who waved me over. He appeared to be older than me, had dusty brown hair that was slightly frazzled, and he gazed kindly out of oval glasses.

"Hey guy, I hear you're the new transfer student. I'm Keisuke Hiraga, it's nice to meet you." he said as I sat down opposite of him with a few other students. Among them was a junior with greased back air and a challenging aura around him. The band on his jacket said he was head of the disciplinary committee and he introduced himself simply as Hidetoshi. Next to me was a boy I didn't recognize from school, and he glanced at me as if appraising me. He wore a blue hoodie and sweatpants and had a competitive spirit about him. "Mamoru Hayase." he introduced himself as I shook his hand. I then let everyone know my name and we enjoyed several filling bowls of soup and many jokes and stories.

The clock soon struck about seven pm, so I decided to leave for the dorm a few blocks away. My new friends also decided to head their separate ways, but we made plans to meet on Sunday in two weeks at Paulownia Mall.

When I got back to the dorm, I noticed Yukari on one of the Lounge's couches talking to a sophisticated looking gentleman.

"Ah, here he comes now, sir." Yukari nodded in my direction as the gentleman turned his head and then rose to greet me as I walked over to where they sat.

"Wonderful to meet you, lad. My name is Shuji Ikutski. I'm the chairman of the board for your school, and I came here tonight to welcome you to Gekkoukan, although I do have other business as well…" the man paused while shaking my hand, where he looked at Yukari curiously. "Say Yukari, is Mitsuru here?"

"Yeah, she's upstairs…" Yukari muttered, texting on her phone.

Ikutski sighed. "As diligent as ever, although it doesn't hurt to come down and say hello. Other than that, I was wondering if you had any questions for me, Helsing?" Ikutski asked as we both sat down.

"Well, I was curious about something that happened the other ni-" I started to say before Yukari slammed her rather sharp knee into my leg underneath the coffee table while she threw a small scowl at me. For some reason I stopped cold and coughed.

"Hmm… you were probably just tired, I heard you arrived rather late so you must have been drowsy, which caused you to see odd events…?" Ikutski offered while cleaning his glasses.

I nodded, glancing at the ground. Something still didn't seem right, but apparently Yukari didn't want me saying anything.

Ikustki then got up. "I've got some things to attend to on the fourth floor in my office… Well, I should let you scurry along to bed, after all, the early bird gets the bookworm." he smiled and chuckled as he ascended the stairs.

I glanced at Yukari curiously, but she simply ignored me and kept texting on her phone, however I couldn't help but notice a slight uncomfortable look fly across her face for a split second. Deciding to pay it no mind, I began to make my way for the stairs to the second floor, running into Akihiko on the way.

"Hey Helsing, you off to bed?" he asked while clapping me on the shoulder.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm kinda tired, especially after my first day." I attempted to hold off a yawn.

He smiled. "Well, I'm going to head out for a bit, I've got a few… errands to take care of. I'll see you around then."

I nodded and bade him good night before ascending the stairs. As I made my way into my room, I changed out of my school uniform into a white tshirt with blue sleeves, a simple pair of light toned jeans, and brown converse all star sneakers. Sitting down at my desk, I glanced at the clock which stated seven forty-five. I figured I had a few hours to work on homework, and I went ahead and did so. At about fifteen past ten pm, I leaned my head on my arm while finishing up Ms. Toriumi's composition homework. However, I noticed myself drowsing off, and before I could stop myself, I was asleep at my desk, having just finished my last grammar correction problem…

Suddenly, the next thing I knew, the building was shaking wildly. The first thing I saw was a familiar sight, the yellow moon and green sky. However, as alert as I was right now, I had to concede that this was no dream, considering I bruised my back when I had fallen out of my seat hard. Just after I stood up, suddenly there was a loud bang on my door.

"Hey! Wake up! It's an emergency!" Yukari screeched. She waited for a second then kicked open the door. She glanced at me, panting with a fearful look on her face. "Oh good… you're awake… listen, I don't… have time to explain… we gotta move. NOW!" she barked, grabbing my wrist and yanking me behind her as she descended the stairs.

Making our way to the back storage room, we stopped by the back door. I was clueless as to what was going on, but the ground floor was a wreck. I grabbed a slender steel pipe that was lying on the ground nearby, and decided to keep it handy if there were burglars or something that made logical sense. Yukari was nearby, talking into a earpiece I assumed was a com unit. She then paled and attempted to say something, but didn't get to as the back door near us started groaning as something pounded at the steel.

"C-come on Wesley-kun! Upstairs!" she gasped, grabbing my wrist again and pulling me upstairs. We ran up to the fourth floor and paused, suddenly the sound of breaking glass and heavy footsteps was heard from the third floor. I was clueless as to what was going on, but Yukari once again forcibly led me to the top floor of the dorm, where we dashed through a steel emergency exit door.

Outside on the roof, a chilling wind blew by, but Yukari locked the door behind us. "Phew… we should be safe up here…" she muttered, walking up next to me with a nervous grimace.

"What is going on? If the building's being assaulted, we have to do something!" I yelled, confused and angry at how much she appeared to be a coward.

She scowled at me. "Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about, this isn't some burglar, I wish it was… truth is you're in way more danger than you think." she slapped me across the face. "Don't you roll your eyes at me… why if I could I'd…" she started to say, but then paled and glanced towards a ledge a bit away.

Rubbing my tender cheek, I followed her glance and almost gasped as I saw some _creature_ crawl over the ledge. It was a mass of hands and arms, made of some black hazy material. One hand supported a navy mask with a blank expression that looked around. It then looked in our direction, and the other hands suddenly produced many odd blades as it began some sort of dash towards us. I was stunned, baffled at what the hell this thing could be.

As if psychically, Yukari huffed, stepping in front of me. "Those monsters… we call them shadows… they're lurkers of the night… _that's_ what all this is about. They're attacking our dorm. Mitsuru and Akihiko are fighting them downstairs in the lobby as we speak." Yukari muttered, drawing the gun from her thigh strap.

Now that I got a good look at it, it didn't really appear like a gun. There was no slot for the clip of bullets, and the barrel wasn't rounded, it mostly looked like a long rectangle on the end of a handle with a trigger. One anagram was the side of the object: SEES, and Yukari seemed nervous, but she put the barrel of the object against her forehead and took a deep breath, pulling the trigger. I admit not expecting anything to happen, but suddenly a blast of energy knocked the monster back slightly.

Yukari grimaced, it must not have been what she wanted. She tried to do it again, but the monster proved too fast and slashed her in the side with an impossibly long arm, knocking her away with a medium sized gash on her stomach. The object slid across the tiled rooftop to me, and I kneeled down, picking it up to look at it while I noticed the monster glancing at me now, preparing to near for an attack.

My mind was racing as I remembered what she did. I figured why not try it out and see what happened…? I doubted the steel pipe would be of much use against those blades. I twirled the trigger slot around my finger, spinning the gun artfully as I then braced it against my left temple. I muttered three simple syllables before pulling the trigger: "Per … so … na"

Suddenly with a bang, and a sound like breaking glass, I opened my eyes as I felt a surge of energy from deep inside me. Small pieces of a crystalline material were spinning around me into the air, forming a figure.

The figure had a slender, feminine appearance as it soon began to form further, becoming a woman with cerulean hair, a kind face, wrapped in a white head cloth that had strips of the cloth flowing behind her. Her torso was also covered with a toga-like top of the same material, but her stomach appeared to be a mysterious spoke wheel. Underneath she wore a dress of the darkest black. Her slender fingers caressed the wheel, causing it to spin at differing speeds. She looked back at me.

"Fear not," she spoke in a soft, calming voice. "I am Fortuna, the mistress of fate… I am here to lend you my power… do not hesitate, think clearly, and give me your will." she smiled gently at me, and I had to admit she was beautiful. She then turned to look at the monster. "As a token of my devotion…" she cut off, spinning the wheel quickly as ice shards pelted into the shadow, which howled in pain before imploding in a black haze as it evaporated.

Fortuna then disappeared, and I ran to Yukari's side, attempting to patch her up and stop the blood flow from her stomach wound. She looked at me curiously, as if embarrassed she had failed to protect me, and impressed at how well I was doing. I grinned smugly as I applied a few pieces of her cardigan I tore to create makeshift bandages.

However, I soon saw two more shadows approaching, and jumping in front of Yukari, I recklessly charged at the shadows, brandishing the pipe in my left hand dangerously. The formless shadows soon became smaller versions of the first monster, and I decided to simply attack one first, attempting to conserve my energy if I needed to summon Fortuna again.

Slamming the steel pipe against the mask, I made a small crack in the blue face, which seemed to hurt the shadow. Not hesitating, I whirled around, using the momentum from my spin to increase the power behind my slash. Another crack appeared, then I jumped into the air, bashing the steel pipe against the cracked mask, causing the shadow to dissipate like the first. Grinning, I landed, but unfortunately, I didn't see the other shadow, which raked its claws against my arm as I tried to defend myself. It was a fairly deep cut, but I knew I didn't have time to worry about that. I twirled the gun around my finger again before once again 'shooting' myself to summon Fortuna.

Fortuna nodded to me and then spun the wheel again. This time however, a small bolt of lightning struck the shadow, burning the mask to a crisp. The mask broke, causing the shadow to dissipate, and I had defeated the enemies. Fortuna smiled and so did I at our first victory. However, the time to celebrate was sparse, as I felt my strength leave me, and I collapsed to my knees as Fortuna disappeared once again. I attempted to rise, but I felt extremely exhausted, and instead, I collapsed completely, the green night sky swirling into the blackness of unconsciousness as I heard Mitsuru and Akihiko arrive on the rooftop.

**A/N - Another chapter under the belt… I hope you all liked it. Also a note, for those Orpheus/Thanatos fans… I plan to do something with that, but not until later. Trust me, you'll like it though, it's gonna be great~ Any reviews/comments will be appreciated. Also, again, sorry for the delay, but hey, I'm a busy guy! Till next time, my friends!**


	5. The Explanations

**A/N - hey all! I had finals this week but now I'm in the clear! I just wanted to get this out of the way before I finish up my homework. Now that Wesley has a persona, things will get a bit more interesting… I don't own Persona obviously.**

**Chapter 5 - The Explanations**

Darkness… that's all there was. Darkness, around me, no light, no sound, just darkness. Suddenly, I once again found myself speeding to that indigo door. The door slowly creaked open, blinding me with the light once again, as I was set down in the elegant chair. I saw Elizabeth who smiled at me for a moment before turning to Igor, her face as grim as stone again.

Igor clasped his hands together, smiling darkly. "It's so nice to see you again, Master Wesley…" he smiled and snapped his fingers, a small pot of tea and three cups appearing on the table. Elizabeth poured the tea into three cups, handing one to Igor and myself, then taking one for herself before she sat down in a chair like mine on the right side of the table.

"I appreciate the hospitality, Sir Igor, but I really am quite confounded by my sudden arrival here…" I coughed, but took a sip of the tea. It was delicious, strangely soothing and made me feel at peace.

"Ah yes… well my boy, you had slipped into an unconscious state from the mental strain and exhaustion of using your power for the first time… you are currently out cold in the real world as we speak but… it's nothing to worry about. Just relax." Igor said, sipping his cup. He then glanced to Elizabeth. "I must say that Margaret's tea recipe is truly something, Elizabeth." he smiled at her slightly. I nodded in agreement, despite not knowing who this 'Margaret' was…

A record player was playing a soft blues with a very nice electric guitar in the background. Despite being unconscious in the real world and brimming with questions, I spent a bit of time simply chatting with Elizabeth and Igor. It turned out Margaret was Elizabeth's older sister, who was out on assignment somewhere for Igor. Margaret had found the recipe for the tea in an old family text and messed with it, increasing the flavor. Apparently the two of them were quite happy working for Igor…

I set my empty cup of tea on the table, nodding a thank you to Elizabeth and Igor. "Alright then… so since I'm here, I assume there is something that you need to tell me, Sir Igor?" I asked curiously, glancing at the devilish man.

His pointed ears twitched a bit as the once again creepy grin came to his face. "Yes… to be fully honest, I am intrigued by your power… it is like the number zero you see. At one point, it is nothing, but on the other hand, you hold infinite possibilities…"

I nodded slowly. "So then, by my power, I assume you mean Fortuna…?" I inquired, tilting my head slightly.

Igor nodded in return. "Fortuna appears to be the one who responded to your first call… she is what we call a Persona, a manifestation of your psyche that protects you from alien external stimuli." he explained, while showing me a card with the picture of Fortuna on it.

"External Stimuli… you mean the shadows, correct? And that odd timeframe?" I asked, picking up and glancing at the card, it was warm to touch, and I could feel the power flowing from it to me.

Igor smiled and chuckled darkly. "Precisely… you're a sharp one, Master Wesley. Your persona is like a mask that will protect you as you brave many hardships. My role is to help you with cataloging and fusing your personas." he said, beckoning to Elizabeth with an index finger.

Elizabeth nodded and set a book onto the table. "This is called the Persona Compendium. I will keep track of all the personas you obtain and fuse here. I have a special ritual that allows me to register your personas inside, and if you fuse them or need to dismiss them, for a nominal fee, I will re-summon them for you to utilize." she explained, taking the card of Fortuna from me and placing it inside the book's first page.

"Persona fusion, what is that exactly?" I asked as Elizabeth placed the book under her arm and stood up, placing her chair back over on the other side of the room.

"It is where we take two personas and combine their attributes to form a brand new persona. It is quite fun, almost like a roulette, so many choices and possibilities…" Igor smiled. He then glanced at his wristwatch. "Well… time marches on in your world. I shouldn't keep you here any longer. Next time, it would be better if you come of your own accord. Farewell." Igor smiled and waved his hand once as the Velvet Room began to disappear.

The next thing I knew, I awoke to a white room, the setting sun pouring scarlet rays into the room. I attempted to move, but stopped when I heard a chuckling. I glanced over to see Mitsuru sitting in a chair, the French book in her hand, but she was staring at me with a small smile. "It's good to see you're finally awake, Rip van Winkle. It's been over a week since we brought you here." she commented, flipping a bookmark into the book before standing up and walking outside, bringing in Akihiko with her.

Akihiko walked over and clapped me on the shoulder gently. "Good to see you're up and at 'em. We got kind of worried for a second after you passed out. You just kept sleeping and sleeping, we thought maybe you'd slipped into a coma." he had a concerned look on his face.

'_You don't know the half of it…'_ I thought to myself but I smiled and nodded slightly, attempting to sit up.

"The doctor's couldn't find anything wrong with you, apparently you just collapsed of exhaustion. Meanwhile, you've missed quite a bit of schoolwork, but I'll see if I can pull a few strings to lessen your make-up work load." Mitsuru smiled to me, and I stared at her for a second while Akihiko was glancing out the window. She walked over and sat down next to me. "I'm sure you have many questions, and if you like, I'll attempt to answer them." she whispered to me, seemingly concerned.

"If it's about the Personas, there's no need…" I muttered before I could stop myself.

She then stared at me curiously, seemingly shocked. "H-how did you know what it was?" she asked softly.

I glanced to the side and turned my head, staring out the window. "You wouldn't believe me, even if I told you. I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine." I sighed.

"Give him credit, Mitsuru, he's tougher than he looks." Akihiko grinned, then after getting a scowl from Mitsuru, left the room and left the two of us alone.

I turned back over to look at Mitsuru. "Still, I appreciate you coming to check up on me. Thank you for that, Kirijo-senpai." I attempted to smile.

She shook her head. "Think nothing of it. Your actions saved Yukari that night. Us as well. By defeating that larger shadow, the one we were fighting disappeared. They must have been linked somehow… but by the time we got to the roof, you were already collapsed from exhaustion. The least we could do was make sure you were ok." she smiled slightly, closing her eyes while she did so.

We stayed quite for a moment, she glanced to the side, thinking about something. While she did, I once again observed her looks. She was beautiful, her skin had a creamy color, and was spotless. Her red hair cascaded over her shoulders to her mid-back, while the bangs hung over one of her eyes in a mysterious and tempting way. Her blouse, while stark white and professional, showed off her curves well, slender and soft…

She turned back to me, but luckily I avoided suspicion by fumbling with the bandages on my arm that had gotten cut by the shadow. "Do you have any questions to ask me?" she asked softly, looking at me curiously.

"Well, I suppose the gun instrument was peculiar… do you mind explaining what it was…?" I asked glancing into her rusty brown eyes with my own pale grey irises. I noticed she shifted a bit after a moment of us staring at each other.

"Ah. They're called Evokers. They are an instrument that assists in summoning Personas as you saw. Since Personas only materialize under stressful conditions, the Kirijo Labs made an instrument to use electromagnetic waves to cause the similar brain patterns of the stress. Plus, the practical act of shooting yourself would be a bit stressful for a beginner I suppose." she smiled and chuckled softly.

I nodded, then thought of something. "Curious as it is, I don't remember seeing shadows on the night I arrived here… I had a simple walk from Iwatodai station to the dorm, despite it being that odd time…" I said, looking to her again.

"Well, the odd time is called the Dark Hour… it is a phenomenon that occurs as the clock strikes 12 midnight. Ordinary people become transmogrified into crystalline structures like coffins. They simply sleep through the Dark Hour and have no recollection of it. Only those with the Potential to be Persona Users can roam freely at that time." she explained, then paused, thinking about the first part of my statement.

"As for the nonexistence of shadows, we believe it has something to do with the phases of the moon. On the full moons, the shadows are restless, appearing frequently through town and attacking anybody not in a coffin. Albeit rare, some regular people are not transformed, remaining in the Dark Hour. They quickly fall to the shadows, who prey on the minds of humans… they are what is responsible for the Apathy Syndrome on the news. Those people are not sick, they have lost their minds and have become living corpses, unable to function for themselves." she said, clenching a fist as she did so, like something was tugging at her.

"I see. Then, how do we defeat them?" I asked after a moment of silence.

She looked to me, surprised. " … 'we'? Do you mean you wish to help us?" she asked softly.

I nodded. "If these Shadows are such a threat, then they should be neutralized as soon as possible. Perhaps if the Shadows are defeated, then the people's minds will be restored. I have a Persona… I'd have to be a punk not to fight back when I have the power to do something." I said looking at her determined.

Mitsuru then closed her eyes and gained a smile on her face. "I'm happy to hear you're so eager to help. We need all the help we can get… it's just Akihiko, Yukari, and myself right now. Thank you, Helsing." she nodded to me, sounding truly grateful.

I smiled and patted her shoulder, a bold mood, but I felt confident. "No problem. I'll make sure I put forth a hundred and twenty percent."

She rolled her eyes though I could have sworn I saw a miniscule trace of a blush, actually lightly grabbing my wrist and placing it back at my side before getting up. "First though, you should rest. You'll be coming back to school on Friday, the day after tomorrow. After school, come to the fourth floor of the dorm. We'll brief you some more when you get there. For now, focus on a speedy recovery. See you, Helsing." she then nodded and walked to the door, leaving me alone, wondering what fighting the shadows would be like.

When Friday morning came around, I found myself walking up to the gates of Gekkoukan, before I was stopped by Akihiko, who ran to catch up with me. "Hey Wesley, how're you doing? Feeling better?" he asked as we walked up the courtyard.

I nodded. "Yeah, a little sore but I'll manage. Did I miss too much?" I asked as we ascended the front steps of the school.

He shook his head. "Not really, it was a pretty quiet week, except for a few rumors flying around school about your hospitalization… you should be ready to be bombarded with some questions about that. Just think up a lie to counter it or something." he shrugged as we walked into the lobby with the lockers.

I noticed several students staring at me, some whispering. I sighed and attempted to ignore it, while Akihiko smiled and said I'd see him back at the dorm after school. Making my way to Composition class, I was stopped by an odd looking man in a lab coat with a yellow shirt. He pushed up his glasses staring at me. "Wait… you're the student who collapsed, correct?" he asked in a creepy voice.

"And what if I am?" I sighed, figuring I might as well be honest to this guy.

"Fufufu… I thought so. Listen, I have a cure that will help if your energy is running low. Take this." he chuckled in a wheezy voice, shoving a bottle of some green liquid into my hand. "It has extract of ginseng, rabbit adrenaline, and a few other herbs and ingredients. I assure you it'll put some pep in your step!" he smiled before walking off. I glanced at the bottle, before shrugging and placing it my side-bag. Who knows? It might come in handy…

Right before I got to class, I saw a brown haired boy with glasses run up to me, panting slightly. I recognized him as Keisuke, the boy I met in the Beef Bowl restaurant.

"Hey… Wesley-kun. I heard you were back… you feeling alright? Nothing too wrong or painful, or do you feel dizzy?" he asked curiously.

I shook my head. "Thanks Keisuke, but I'm fine, really. Besides, how did you know I would be back today..?" I asked curiously.

Keisuke shifted a bit, smiling embarrassedly. "Well, my father is the director for Tatsumi Memorial Hospital. He told me that you were discharged yesterday, so I knew you'd be coming. Just thought I'd keep an eye on you, if you're anemic or something." he chuckled.

I smiled appreciatively. "Well, it's good to know I've got somebody to watch my back. I didn't know that you were so knowledgeable about medics. Good thing I bumped into you at Beef Bowl, eh?"

Keisuke smiled and laughed too. "Yeah. Just remember, we're meeting at Paulownia mall on Sunday. Hidetoshi lost a bet so he's paying for our arcade game day. I'll see you there!" he called as he started to dash for his class.

I could hardly believe how things were going… I'd stumbled onto a dark secret, and yet, I thought I may have made my first new friend here… Smiling, I entered the class and took my seat just as the bell rung, announcing the start of another typical school day…

**A/N - Finished! I hope you all like what I did with the hospital scene. I apologize to Yukari fans, she is nice and I did date her in my first run of the game, but I just like Mitsuru better. Mitsuru has a deeper character, and plus, I would assume it would be easier for Wesley to get a few questions answered instead of useless info about Yukari's childhood.**


	6. SEES

_**A/N - I hope you all are doing well… I'm a bit swamped but I had a bit of spare time so I thought I would get a start on this chapter. I don't own Persona, but it sure is fun to tamper with.**_

_**Chapter 6 - SEES**_

After a thrilling lecture from Mrs. Terauchi, the lunch bell soon rang. Getting up, I stretched my limbs a bit as I closed my laptop from taking notes. Glancing around I saw that Junpei just woke up from a nap while Yukari was asking for a last few sentences of notes due to her rapid texting during the lecture. I was slightly curious how she didn't get caught, considering she was in the front row…

Shrugging it off, I decided to place my laptop in my sidebag, placing it in one of the small lockable cubby holes in the classroom's left wall. I then took out my lunch from the same cubby hole, and decided I would head to the rooftop. Sliding past the door, I silently made my way up the stairs to the rooftop. The spring sunlight was warm as I glanced at the view. Several wind turbines were turning slowly in the peaceful breeze and I smiled as I sat down, pulling my box lunch out of its container.

A simple meal from home, I had prepared a serving of zweibleschnitzel, something like a pork chop with brown gravy and sautéed mushrooms and onions on it. I had a few home-made noodles I prepared with Grandmother's recipe, and I sighed contentedly as I feasted on the warm gravy soaked noodles. "Ah… das gut." I muttered as I enjoyed the filling meal. I had a small amount of homesickness, but I was still enjoying the time I was having here.

Glancing at my watch after finishing my meal, I grinned as I had enough time to start on dessert. I pulled a small container of Nutella from my bag and a few sweet rolls. I took out my pocketknife and spread the chocohazelnut spread onto the sweet rolls.

As I was munching on my rolls, I noticed the door to the stairwell open, and Junpei came out, stretching a bit. When he saw me, he smiled and walked over, taking the seat across from me.

"Sup Wesley? You finishin' up your lunch?" he asked glancing at my empty lunchbox and the few sweet rolls I had spread on a napkin.

Swallowing my bite, I coughed slightly and nodded. "I've got a few spare… you want to try one? They're fairly good…" I muttered taking another bite but tossed him a roll and the Nutella spread.

Junpei glanced at me a bit skeptically, but nodded. "Yeah… Kazushi took my rice ball saying he needed the carbs so it's a good thing I bumped into you eh? I'll need this sugar to stay awake in class…" he laughed, spreading the sweet spread with my pocketknife.

I chuckled at this. "Junpei… face it dude, all you do is sleep in class, sugar or not. If it wasn't for me covering your sorry butt, you'd be in a heap of trouble with Lehrerin Toriumi."

"L-Lehrerin?" he asked, munching on the roll. I almost smacked myself for slipping in a German word again.

"Sorry, Lehrerin means the same thing as 'sensei', just in my home tongue." I shook my head, explaining it to him.

He nodded slightly, seemingly enjoying the dessert. "Well, lunch is just about over, we should hurry back to class so we're not late. Thanks for the snack, Wesley." he patted my shoulder and then headed for the roof door as I wiped my pocketknife clean, slipped it back into my pocket next to my Zune, and placed my meal items back into my lunchbox.

Standing up, I followed him back into the school, both of us making a few jokes as we made way to the classroom. Slipping into my seat after exchanging my lunch bag for my school bag, I heard the chime that signaled lunch was over. Soon, Mr. Ekoda came in as we began our next Literature lesson…

After taking many pages of detailed notes, I finally set my pencil down as Mr. Ekoda wrapped up his longwinded speech. He left the classroom somewhat in a hurry, but nobody paid him any mind as talking erupted into the room. Gathering my things, I was almost ready to head back to the dorm, remembering that Mitsuru had asked me to come to the 4th floor conference room.

Junpei gave me a grin as he began walking out of the classroom with a boy with tan hair and a mischievous grin, both were snickering at what I suspected were inappropriate jokes.

Shaking my head, I began to make my way to the lobby of the school, however, before I made it to the door, I saw Akihiko run over to me, seemingly glad he caught me.

"Hey, Wesley. I just heard from coach that a few of the sports teams are going to be holding their tryouts soon. You should think about trying out, you've got a great composition for track." he smiled and nudged me in the arm with his elbow.

I laughed slightly. "Who knows? I may just have to check it out." I mused, considering being on a sports team, it could be a good experience, and it'd be a great way to increase my physical stature.

"Plus, the best part is, the best athletes of each division get a trip in the summer for a huge competition. I'm already slotted to go for boxing, Kazushi is most likely going for Kendo, and I believe that a senior girl named Ririko Kaoru is slotted for the swim team…" Akihiko explained counting on his fingers absentmindedly.

"Well then, perhaps I should give the track team a boost." I smiled shrugging slightly as I slipped my headphones out of my pocket as we walked through the front door.

However, I was just about to turn on my tunes before I saw a poster outside the gym wall. Apparently somebody had done fan art of the top athletes Akihiko mentioned. The drawings were quite good, and each had a head portrait and an apparent nickname each had earned. There was Akihiko the 'Golden Fist', Kazushi the 'Sengou Emperor', and a very attractive purple-haired girl named Ririko the "Orchid Mermaid."

I laughed when I saw this while Akihiko scowled. "Dammit… those silly girls again… we don't need this kind of attention… it's such a drag." he hissed, glaring at the poster.

"Relax dude, I think it's just that they take pride in their star athletes…" I chuckled, patting his shoulder.

Akihiko sighed. "Well who knows? If you do well and make the team, you just might be up there too, Speed Demon." he nudged my side and I scowled this time.

Suddenly both of us broke out into a fit of laughter, beginning to walk for the station while shaking our heads. We boarded the train, and Akihiko went to sit and chat with Yukari for a few minutes while I stood by the door, watching the scenery zip by.

Soon, however, I felt a tap on my shoulder, turning, I saw the same greenhaired girl I had talked to last week. "Ah… Fuuka-chan. How're you?" I asked, smiling a bit at the peculiar girl.

She smiled back slightly. "Well… not too bad, I heard you got back from the hospital… is everything ok?" she asked, sounding curious.

I nodded. "Yes. It turns out I just overexerted myself. Just a bit of bedrest and I'm back to normal." I muttered, glancing out the window again.

"That's good to know. Believe it or not, with all the Apathy Syndrome cases I've seen on the news, I heard some rumors that you might have caught it… several sophomores were talking about it while you were out." she explained, watching out the window with me before glancing at her watch as we neared her stop.

"Well… I've got to get going, Mother has asked me to do some shopping… can't be late for the sales." she tried to act a bit excited, but for some reason I could almost tell that she was hiding something…

I glanced and waved slightly as she exited, turning back around to watch out the window, considering everything that had happened so far. I was slightly nervous from anticipation of what would be happening at the dorm tonight, but I figured everything would work out in the end. As the train began to speed up again, I walked over, sitting across from Yukari and Akihiko.

I hadn't seen Yukari in some time, and to be honest, I could tell that shadow must have hit her hard. She had a hand on her side rubbing slightly at where the cut was, and I noticed a slight peek of some bandages underneath her cardigan.

She glanced at me but surprised me by smiling this time. "I'm glad to see you're back, Wesley-kun… to be honest, I wanted to thank you. Y'know, for saving me on the roof top."

I shook my head. "It was the least I could do. After all, you were trying to protect me. I just wish I could have helped sooner… that gash looked painful." I sighed.

She blushed a bit at this surprisingly. "Oh no, don't worry about that… the doctor said a month of rest, then I'll be good to go. Until then, you guys better be careful." she scolded, wagging an index finger at me and Akihiko.

The three of us all chatted for a rest of a while as we pulled into Iwatodai station. After disembarking the train, we crossed the street and walked down a few blocks, approaching the looming structure of our cozy dormitory. Proceeding inside, we made our way to the 4th floor and entered the conference room, taking seats on the plush furniture.

I admit the interior was not what I expected, there was a sofa, a few stools, and an armchair arranged around a small coffee table, but the walls of the room were shelves filled with many books, and behind us was a large monitor with many wires snaking out underneath it into a large console with many buttons, levers, knobs, and blinking lights. I remembered noticing a small security camera above the TV in the Lounge, maybe it was the security console?

Akihiko meanwhile brought out his cell phone, making a quick text message before Ikutski and Mitsuru made their way into the room, carrying two silver metal briefcases. Mitsuru sat on the sofa next to Yukari, while Ikutski settled down into the armchair.

"Well… good evening everyone. I'm glad to see we're all here. First off, I'd like to welcome our first new member, Wesley." Ikutski smiled and the group applauded for a moment, I rubbed the back of my head and attempted to smile.

Mitsuru grabbed one of the small silver briefcases, passing it across the table to me. Opening it, I saw a red armband emblazoned with the SEES anagram I had noticed on the Evoker sitting next to it. As I was examining the mock pistol, the door opened, and in stepped somebody I would never have expected to see.

Apparently, Yukari was thinking along the same wavelength as me. She got up looking startled. "J-Junpei? What's he doing here?" she asked, turning around and looking at Mitsuru and Ikutski.

Akihiko spoke up at this. "Well… this is Junpei Iori. Remember last week, when I went out for a while? I was going to the convenience store for a late night supply run when the Dark Hour suddenly hit. I heard a yell from around the corner, and I spotted him as his persona defeated a nearby shadow."

Junpei beamed. "Yeah, I was just chilling outside, but the sky got all weird. I admit to being pretty freaked, but then this odd monster started inching towards me, that was even freakier." he explained, taking a seat next to me. "A moment later though, I had this weird feeling as a metal soldier appeared and he kicked some ass with a sweet fireball!" he shouted while making the victory sign.

Yukari gaped at him. "YOU have the potential…? Is this a joke?" she asked, glancing to Akihiko.

Junpei flinched, scowling. "Ouch, Yuka-tan… but yeah, I'm not lying… if I didn't make that persona thingy appear, then why else would I be here at your little club meeting?" he asked her a little roughly.

Yukari sighed then leaned back, stretching her arms. "Well, whatever. The more the merrier." she grumbled.

Mitsuru silently reached for the other briefcase, sliding it down the table to Junpei. Opening it, he grinned as he took out the Evoker and messed with it for a second. Then he noticed the band. "SEES? Isn't that a chocolate brand?" he asked, staring at Ikutski.

"Actually, yes, it is. But the anagram SEES is the academic codename for our group. We're the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad. On paper, we're classified as a school club, but in reality, it is made of persona users to fight shadows during the Dark Hour. Mitsuru is the leader, and I'm the club advisor." Ikutski explained calmly to Junpei.

"This dorm is actually used to house candidates and members of SEES. It's why Helsing was transferred here at the start of the semester, and why you'll be moving in, Iori." Mitsuru explained to Junpei.

Yukari moaned at this. "He's staying HERE? You've got to be kidding me…"

Junpei, on the other hand laughed while glancing to Akihiko and myself. "Ahh, who cares what you think, Yuka-tan? This is pretty cool, getting to hang with Akihiko-senpai and Wesley while kicking ass and taking names." he nudged me in the side, grinning.

I nodded in response, before turning back to Ikutski. "Sir, Mitsuru told me earlier that shadows only appear restless during the full moon, save for a few oddities now and then… but, where are they coming from?" I asked, quite curious about where these mind-assaulting beasts came from.

"Ah, an excellent question Wesley. We are currently aware of a large shadow nest in the district, which we have named Tartarus." Ikutski explained.

"Tartarus…? Sounds like a brand of toothpaste to me." Junpei shrugged, a blank look on his face.

Akihiko chuckled. "You sure seem to know your consumer products, huh Iori? But in reality, Tartarus is the name of a tower-like shadow nest. The place is crawling with them, a perfect place to train your body and persona… sounds interesting, right?" he asked with a fierce grin on his face.

"A tower, huh? I wonder what's at the top…?" I mused aloud while placing the briefcase on the floor next to my stool.

Mitsuru shrugged. "To be honest, we don't know. Tartarus is a practical labyrinth, the layout changing daily. Akihiko and I have only been inside once or twice for a quick glance around." she explained.

"That's where you two come in. Now that we have enough members, we can finally start exploring the depths of Tartarus. I'll be joining you of course, since I'm not as injured as Yukari." Akihiko explained.

Ikutski nodded after Akihiko finished. "Our plan is to start our first exploratory mission tomorrow night, so make sure to come back to the dorm and prepare. I'm afraid we don't have much in the way of weaponry for you right now, but I'll work on setting up a few sources. I know Officer Kurosawa will help us out." Ikutski explained.

"That's no problem Ikutski-san! I've got an old bat I stuck a bunch of nails in. It'll work great for now." Junpei said, pulling a wicked looking bat out of his bag.

"Yeah, and I've got a pair of brass knuckles I won off of a match opponent a few weeks ago. Wesley can use his pipe again for now, so we'll make due with what we have until we can get some real weapons." Akihiko nodded.

"Alright then, I believe this meeting is over. Junpei, you should go ahead and unpack your things in your new room, you're next door to Wesley. The rest of you, get some sleep since you still have school tomorrow. We'll meet back here in the evening to discuss a plan of action." Ikutski said, getting up, as did the rest of us before we made way to our separate rooms.

However, in the hallway, I was stopped by Akihiko. "Hey, I know we have that mission, but tryouts are tomorrow too, so make sure to swing by the gym after school. I'll be rooting for you." he smiled and clapped me on the shoulder, before bidding me goodnight and heading into his room.

I proceeded to my room as well, thoughts of what Tartarus would be like flying through my excited mind. The anticipation was insane, I could hardly wait to show those evil bastards what I would be capable of, and I smiled as I finished up my homework before showering and heading to bed.

_**A/N - That's another chapter down! Woohoo. Hopefully Wesley can make the Track Team. A side note, Ririko is an OC of mine, I may decide to add her as a possible social link later under the Moon, depending on the result of the poll on my profile, and as Nozomi may be off feasting in Russia somewhere… Also, I started them out with the trick weapons because I think it's funny. The guys sound like a bunch of kids in an old New York gang movie… also, I'd like to give a special shout out to one of my best reviewers, Kirijo Kanaru, thanks for all your support!**_


	7. Tryouts and new Social Links

**A/N - hey all! Here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it! I don't own persona of course!**

Chapter 7 - Tryouts and new Social Links

It was Saturday morning, and I awoke to the sound of rainfall. Getting up, I glanced out the window to find the sky a dreary grey and rain pouring from the heavens. Shaking my head, I still hoped that Tryouts would be held, I had made up my mind to try out for the track team.

After snagging a bit of breakfast in the lobby dining room, I set my dishes neatly on the counter before grabbing my bag and a wool poncho that my grandmother had knitted for me before she…

I shook my head, thinking about that wouldn't help now. I slipped the warm and soft garment over my school uniform, the soft tan and hint of red zigzag patterns on it actually looked good on me. Smiling, I silently thanked my grandmother, wherever she was now.

Making my way to the train station, I met up with Junpei and we sat together, joking with each other on the commute to school. As we walked for the front doors, I saw many kids dashing in the rain, a couple other pointing to my poncho, but I ignored them. Getting inside, I shook the poncho out, placing the semi-dry garment inside my locker with the warm up outfit I had brought. It consisted of a tight grey nylon athletic shirt that was supposed to help keep my cool while wicking away perspiration. It also had a pair of reversible running shorts, a fresh pair of white socks, and grey converse all-star shoes that had a star pattern on them. They were quite worn, as I used them while running in gym back in Germany. However, for a reason that is secret to me, I called them my "Lucky Chucks."

Grinning, I picked up my books and made my way to class, sitting down at my desk while glancing around. Junpei was going at it with Yukari again, and I saw a boy in a warm-up suit talking to the brown haired boy with the mischievous smile that Junpei left with the other day.

After I set my books and papers on my desk so I was ready to start the school day, the door to the classroom opened, and I saw the girl from the train step in while glancing around. She saw me and then smiled, walking over to my desk.

"Good morning, Wesley-kun." she smiled at me a bit, though she glanced at the floor, seemingly nervous.

"Hello Fuuka-chan. How're you doing today?" I asked, smiling back, the girl deserved to have SOMEONE be friendly to her, right?

She looked back up, her grin widening a bit. "Um… I'm fine. Anyway, I had a favor to ask, do you mind if we chat about it during lunch?" she asked, shifting a bit from foot to foot.

I shrugged. "Ok. How about we talk about it outside of the music room? I sometimes like to listen to the band playing while enjoying my lunch." I offered, scribbling down a note.

She nodded. "That sounds great. I guess I'll see you then!" she smiled happily before walking out of the classroom. However, on her way out, she glanced over and I saw her look at Junpei for a second. Their eyes met, then for some reason she hustled out of the classroom. Junpei shrugged and went back to arguing with Yukari.

Proceeding through the day, I sat through a few lectures before being asked to answer a question by Mr. Ono, the history teacher. I rose out of my seat and braced myself for his question.

"Now Wesley… what were the style of houses in the Jomon period called?" he asked curiously while the class gazed at me.

Keeping my cool, I remembered reading on the Jomon period on Thursday night while in the hospital. They built houses out of mud and holes in the ground… mud… mud huts! I smiled as I recalled the answer. "The answer is Mud Huts, Ono-Sensei." I said confidently.

He beamed a bit, "That is correct, Helsing-kun. Good work, at least SOMEBODY in this class is remembering to read the chapters and pay attention!" he said while walking from his podium and slapping a ruler on Junpei's desk, startling the boy. "Iori, see me before you go to lunch." he added, smirking a bit.

Junpei groaned, "Yessir…" he sighed, knowing he was in deep trouble.

After another forty-five minutes of lecture, the lunch bell rang. I walked over to my cubbyhole, grabbing my lunch box before heading out of the classroom to proceed downstairs to wait by the music room.

Soon enough, Fuuka came running up, a box lunch of her own in her hands. She smiled and sat down next to me while we leaned against a wall, listening to the music of the band playing in the room across of us.

"So, Fuuka-chan, what's all this about?" I asked curiously while opening my lunch, today I had a bratwurst and a bit of mashed potatoes that I seasoned myself. I pulled out a bottle of Spetzi and popped the cap, enjoying the beverage.

"W-well… you know J-Junpei-kun, right?" she asked, glancing towards me as she munched on a rice ball.

I nodded while placing some barbeque sauce onto my bratwurst.

"Th-then you can help me! See, I… I want to get to know Junpei-kun… I know he likes to eat, so I want to maybe make him a box lunch sometime…" she said, blushing a bit.

I laughed in my head, she was in a classic cliché. "Ok, so why don't you make him a lunch? I could tell him that there's a surprise somewhere if you want to meet him with it." I attempted to offer while munching on my bratwurst.

"W-well… there's a problem. I'm … not the best cook. To be honest, my cooking sucks." she chuckled sadly while sighing.

"That could present some obstacles, yes…" I muttered while picturing Junpei in Nurse Edogawa's room with food poisoning.

She groaned and scowled at me for a second. "I noticed him talking about the sweet rolls you made when you shared them with him the other day. I thought since you seem good at cooking, maybe you could give me some pointers after school some time…?" she asked curiously.

I considered it while enjoying my mashed potatoes. "… Sure." I said after a moment of thinking.

She blinked. "Y-you'll help me?" she asked sounding hopeful.

I nodded, "Of course. I don't mind helping you learn to cook. Besides, if you and Junpei hit it off, he'll stop lying around the dorm on Sundays complaining, and I can finally use the TV back at the dorm." I chuckled.

Fuuka turned a fierce shade of scarlet about this before she grinned slightly. "Well then… how about after school on Mondays, you meet me in the Home Economics room for cooking class, Helsing-Sensei?" she asked me.

I nodded. "Sounds good. I'll make you my star pupil, Yamagishi."

We both had a good laugh about this. After we finished our lunches, Fuuka seemed to be in a better mood. She got up and said goodbye before walking down the hallway, and I could have sworn she was humming a bit.

As I was wrapping up my lunch items, I saw Akihiko running down the hall, glancing at me with a grin. "Hey, come on, it's time for try-outs." he said, tugging my arm.

"Huh? But I thought they were after school…" I muttered as he drug me through the hallways.

He shook his head. "Originally they were, but this is the only time it's gonna be sunny today. The rain will be pouring for the rest of the evening. You've been excused from classes, so give it your best." he looked back at me, letting go of my arm as we arrived in the lobby.

I sighed and placed my lunch box in my locker, before grabbing my outfit to change into. I proceeded upstairs to grab my schoolbag and use the bathroom to change. Walking back downstairs, I placed my school uniform in the bag and placed my bag inside my locker before shutting and locking it. I then let Akihiko lead me through the back hallway of the first floor to the gymnasium. I glanced around, there was an indoor swimming pool and a gym floor with kendo equipment at the side. Instead, we walked straight down the hallway to a set of double doors. Stepping through, we walked for a bit outside in the sunlight grounds before arriving at a small practice field. Various students were practicing with wooden swords or boxing with each other a bit away.

Akihiko walked up to a man in a green jumpsuit, I assumed he was the head coach of the teams. Talking with him for a second, Akihiko grinned and motioned for me to come over. Placing my hands in the pockets of my shorts, I walked over.

"Hello there, son. Name, grade and sport." the coach asked in a gruff voice while writing on a clipboard.

I stood up a little straighter. "Wesley Helsing, grade 11. Track." I said quickly.

He paused for a second. "Track? Nobody does Track… we haven't had any decent runners since this school started. We're gonna trash the program later anyway…" he muttered scribbling on the clipboard.

"Nobody until I came along. I want to try out for Track, sir." I stated again calmly.

"Oi. Let the boy try out, coach. What harm could it do?" A feminine voice called from across the field. Glancing over I saw a girl reclining horizontally on one of the bleachers reading a manga. She turned her head to look at us, and I almost gasped. She matched the picture I saw on the gym the other day.

She set the book to the side and got up, walking over to us. She swayed with a confident gait as a small breeze blew her lustrous purple hair around her gracefully. She had a slender, ninja-like red headband with a few wavy lines sewn into it that she wore on her forehead to keep her bangs out of her eyes. The headband ended in a small knot behind her head and she observed us with icy blue eyes under the shadow that the headband cast over them. As she walked closer, I heard clicking of stiletto heels, and glancing down I saw she was wearing ankle-length black boots that indeed had sharp stilettos. She wore ebony stockings up her slender legs with a red skirt just above them, barely showing a bit of her dark tanned thighs. She had on the school blazer, but it wasn't buttoned, instead she just let it loosely hang on her slender figure as she walked. Underneath she had a white button shirt, but instead of a ribbon, she just left the collar and first few buttons unbuttoned, showing off a bit of her fairly generous endowments. She also wore a set of what looked like Military dog-tags, that shone faintly in the sunlight.

She smiled to me as she leaned into my personal space slightly, causing me to lean back a bit. "So… you're the new meat eh? Aki said you're pretty springy. Let's see what you've got, deary." she smirked as her soft but chilling voice drifted towards me.

She glanced to the coach again. "Besides, you shouldn't try to discourage runners just because you agree with Ono and think Kendo is better…" she almost sounded like she was growling at the coach.

The coach sighed. "Fine. Helsing, I want you to run the mile. Four laps around this circular track. I'll time you. Take starting position at the first line."

I nodded and walked over, and while I passed the girl, she smirked at me. "Good luck, newbie." she chuckled.

I glanced in her direction and nodded a bit, then moved onto the field, taking position near the starting line.

"On your mark… get set… go!" The coach yelled, hitting a button on a stop watch.

I took a deep breath and launched forward, dashing along the track, making my way up to the first curve. I made sure to regulate my breathing on every two steps, a technique my cousin showed me to keep me from getting out of breath. Keeping my pace up and my mind focused, I soon found myself on the third lap.

I saw the coach glance at his watch and mutter something, thinking I might be slow, I decided to go with everything I had for the last twenty-five percent of my run. Gritting my teeth as I felt the adrenaline hit my system, I began sprinting madly rounding the next few curves and soon saw the finish line, with a final burst, I hurled myself across it, then began slowing down, attempting to catch my breath and nurse a stitch in my side.

The coach had paused the watch when I crossed the finish line, and was still staring at it, I slowly made my way over, finally getting my breathing under control.

He then smiled at me and turned the watch so I could see it. A grin crossed my face as he announced the results to the bleachers, which I had just noticed at the top was a gym class watching the tryouts, perhaps for inspiration.

"Wesley Helsing, mile time four minutes!" he announced to them, and the kids clapped for me as I rubbed the back of my head a bit.

Akihiko came up behind me and slapped my back a bit hard, but he had a friendly grin on his face. "Way to go, Helsing!"

The girl also came up as well, a smile on her face. "Way to go rookie. You've impressed me. Great job." she then held out a well manicured hand. "Ririko Kaoru. Swim team captain." she introduced herself.

I took her surprisingly soft but firm gripping hand into mine and shook it slightly. "Nice to meet you, Ririko-senpai." I nodded.

She nodded in return then stepped off to speak to the coach. Akihiko also went over to him. The three of them appeared to converse for a while, before motioning for me to come over.

"Helsing, I've made up my mind. You're not only going to join the track team, I want you to be the captain." The coach said.

I blinked, how could I just be handed the captain slot?

"You had a great time, but it's something else as well… you showed determination, strategy, and pure guts out there. I couldn't think of a better candidate." the coach explained, as if he knew what I was thinking. He handed me a small patch. It was the school's symbol, but in front of it was a spear/javelin with a figure 8 running through it. The symbol for track and field with all of the other events.

"Each captain wears the symbol of their field on their blazer or uniform." the coach explained, and as he did, Akihiko pointed to a fist shaped pin that was on his sweater vest, and Ririko pointed to her headband, which I noticed the stitches were made to look like waves.

I nodded slowly while stuffing the patch in a pocket. "So what now? I'm pretty sure a team can't consist of one person…" I pointed out while glancing at the coach.

He chuckled at this. "Then you're going to schedule the ACTUAL tryouts for track team. With your performance today, and the ample supply of witnesses, I'm sure you'll have a decent turn out. Just decide on a date, preferably soon, and post it on the bulletin board outside of the Faculty Office. Until then, I believe we are done here. Congratulations, Captain Helsing." the coach shook my hand, then left for his office.

Akihiko nodded to me before leaving for the dorm. I was about to follow him, when I was stopped by Ririko. I turned around to see what she wanted.

Ririko stretched a bit, sighing. "Well… how about you just come with me? It's not every day a kid makes captain." she tried to smile, apparently trying to be friendly. "Why don't you and I go get some ramen or something? I'm kinda hungry, and Hagakure is on the way home." she offered.

I shrugged. "Alright, that seems fine. Let's eat." I figured it wouldn't hurt to grab some dinner, and it would be good to get to know my athletic comrades.

We boarded the train and rode silently for a while. I listened to my headphones while Ririko was a few rows down, texting on her Iphone and reading another manga. Glancing at the titles, I saw she was reading two different mangas. One was called Mermaid Melody or something, and the other I believe was called Bleach.

Soon, the train pulled into Iwatodai station and we disembarked. We chatted a bit as we walked up the spiral staircase to the Hagakure restaurant. Walking to the counter, we each grabbed a barstool before ordering two bowls of ramen.

"So… I heard you were a transfer student. Where'd ya live before you came here?" she asked while leaning against her elbow on the table.

"Germany… I transferred here so I could enrich my academic experience." I answered honestly.

She nodded and grinned a bit. "Well, as foreign boys go, I'll say you're not bad. Still, I suppose it's a bit rough to get used to the school system?" she asked curiously.

"Not really, I'm used to crunching into books and the commute actually makes things interesting. It's a great way to see what's going on in the city." I explained.

She shrugged. "I guess it is, but for someone like me who's been stuck here all her life… it gets pretty boring after a while. I want to see the world… go swimming in foreign waters, so to speak." she smiled a bit then glanced at me skeptically. "Helsing-kun, what's your dream?" she asked with a serious tone.

I thought about it for a second. "To become a person I can feel good to look in the mirror at. To be able to help people and do something important, and be able to improve other people's moods and views of themselves as well." I stated calmly as our soup arrived and we dug into it.

She slurped on her noodles for a second before wiping her mouth. "I see. That's admirable of you, kid." she then poured some tea for herself and tossed me a mug as well. She held hers up. "Then a toast. A toast to each of our dreams someday coming true." she smiled.

I grinned in return and clinked my mug against hers before drinking the warm tea. We ate in silence mostly for the rest of the time, before a clock nearby struck 7 P.M.

"Aw crap. Listen, Helsing, it's been a breeze, but I gotta slip back to my dorm before they lock up for the night. See ya." She smiled getting up and clapping me on the back before dashing out of the store, only stopping to pay for her meal, and surprisingly, mine. She winked at me before leaving the restaurant.

I sat there for a moment before finishing my soup and leaving the restaurant as well. As I was making my way down the stairs to head for the crosswalk to the block my dorm was on, I thought I heard something in my head. I paused for a second before I definitely heard a voice…

It felt like glass broke in my head, and wincing from the shock, I shut my eyes and saw two cards appear. They flipped over, showing two different icons. One had a witch hat and the letters J and B on it, while the other had a grinning moon in a starlit sky. I heard the voice again. "Thou hast established two social links… the powers of the Priestess and Moon Arcana are slowly awakening… but further power lies beyond…" I heard the voice stop, and the two cards fluttered next to one with a wheel like the one Fortuna had. I saw the initials KH under it, and knew it had to be Keisuke.

So, in the few days I had gone to school, I had already started to make three friends. Not a bad start, in addition to somehow becoming Captain of the Track team. I laughed as I made my way down the sidewalk to the dorm. Then I paused for a moment, sighing, as I knew that tonight, we would be fighting shadows again… in the tower of Tartarus. I held the doorknob to the dorm's front door for a second, mentally preparing myself before stepping inside for the evening before our first mission.

**A/N - that's another chapter out of the way! Hope you all are liking my ideas so far. A side note, since lunch time is relatively short, it accounts for the difference between Wesley's interactions with Fuuka and Ririko. Please rate and review, and take a moment to look at my profile to vote for other social links you'd like to see! Until next time, my friends!**


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